A trip to
West Kirby
Friday morning was
sunny and Partner-who-loves-tea and I played hooky. (For the origin of playing hooky see my word
blog on Monday which basically tells one that no one knows its origins for
certain.)
We did our duty and
got the Tesco shopping in but then we left the washing in the machine, the phone
off the hook (metaphorically) and the computers switched off and headed out to
West Kirkby for a breakfast.
On the way we
stopped at Fleck Lane to photograph this Grade II listed building.
It is a mid-19th century well house from before
the opening of the local water works in 1877.
English Heritage describes it as a former well house of snecked stone rectangular
structure with a hipped stone roof. (Snecked is defined as “Of masonry, with
courses broken by smaller stones (snecks)”.) The entrance has 4-centred head with hood
mould with blank shields in spandrels; plank door with studs and strap hinges.
Small window with small-paned glazing to rear.
Roof has small triangular vent to front and rear.
In West Kirby we
parked near the Fire Station.
We went in a café
that we had visited before and had a cake in.
This time we had
a cooked breakfast and Jo had a real Coca-Cola.
There are those who think that draft coke or Coca-Cola from a tin is
just as good as Coca-Cola from a cold bottle.
Rubbish! Add plenty of ice and a
twist of lemon and you have a drink that is incomparable.
All these books
are wallpaper!
The café was decorated by
the owner’s husband. He’s obviously quite
artistic. But if we had that much spare wall space it would be covered in real books taken out of the loft.
In my youth West
Kirby was a seaside town and the train terminus there shed large numbers of day
trippers at the week-ends. Nowadays
there are few signs of those days but the occasional bucket and spade shop
still exists.
Boring!
“He’s got the
camera out again.”
“Ok, I’ll smile.”
“Boring!”
Unless it's been completely gutted and re-fitted that's not a café I know. It looks like one for the summer visit list to me. As for the coka cola there is certainly nothing like it when it comes to cleaning old brass ships' bells that have been on the seabed for 50 years.
ReplyDeleteThey use it in the British Library (ex British Museum) for cleaning the brass clasps on medieval books, as well.
DeleteIvy was probably just a bit miffed because you went on a trip and left her behind. Not that she would have liked to go on the trip with you, but you being away meant she couldn't go out because then nobody would have been there to help her off shed roofs and trees.
ReplyDeleteThe little well house is truly picturesque; I wonder if the well is still intact inside.
I think I remember the café with the writing on the wall. You're right - those walls should be full of real books!
This quote they have in their cafe is great and inspiring. The place looks very cosy. Wish I could visit it one day :) Well, hope to have my home-made pizza with a partner today, as I failed to have it the last weekend. Ms. Ivy as a beauty, as usual :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun outing...breakfast is my favorite meal to order out! That cafe does look like a winner. I've seen the wallpaper of books before and I guess it's easier to dust than a real shelf of books! I laughed at the "smiling Ivy" shot...so perfect! She's a diva for sure! Have a good weekend. I was catching up on some of your previous camera and photo posts. So interesting! I love photography and so did my Dad who had a dark room he made in a closet that was under our staircase at home. He would love all the technology and fun gadgets that we have now! His family vacation shots were so beautiful with his old 35mm...those were the days!
ReplyDeleteI remember Dad using the cupboard under the stairs (it was just about a walk-in one) for developing as well. He then went on to creating a blind for the kitchen window and using that at night with his little red light and dire warnings to us not to open the door while he was in there.
DeleteThose spontaneous day trips are the best aren't they? How did the breakfast taste? Ivy is such a character.
ReplyDeleteNice well house! - Coca Cola is a "summer holiday" drink for me, associated with outdoor cafés or a takeaway burger and strips on a parkbench, on a warm sunny day ;)
ReplyDeleteIf these are the kind of wonderful photos we will have the chance to admire when you two play hooky, then by all means, play hooky whenever you want.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Jo, a Coke just does not taste right from draft. We only get them here in cans and plastic bottles, so I don't have the luxury of enjoying from the bottle any longer.
Loved the well house photo.
Ivy is a cute yawner!
I've got to have the real books as well but I love the mural about dancing in the rain and the lovely bored kitty. Time for a catnap?
ReplyDeleteInteresting wall paper. Last time I was in West Kirby was when working in Liverpool City (when I was a teenager) and the snow had shut the buses down and a colleague invited me to her place for the night in West Kirby as the trains were still running through the tunnel.
ReplyDelete